SICB Annual Meeting 2014January 3-7, 2014 Austin, TX

Symposium: The micro and macro of nutrient effects in animal physiology and ecology

The integrated study of nutrition, which is at the center of animal physiology, ecology and evolution is garnering increased attention. The importance of macronutrients that include protein, lipids and carbohydrates have been a focus for physiological, ecological and theoretical research for decades, and recent insights have been gained through advances in stable isotope ecology and ecoimmunology. In addition, more recent work has highlighted the influence of micronutrients in these interactions. Micronutrients such as specific amino acids, fatty acids as well as plant compounds like carotenoids and alkaloids have been found to have strong effects on how animals allocate macronutrients to competing physiological demands such as immune function and reproduction. Neurological and ecological research also suggests that animals have mechanisms for sensing, seeking out and acquiring both these micro- as well as macronutrients to meet specific needs, such as fighting particular pathogenic infections. Furthermore, studies at the community and ecosystem levels suggest that the effects of micronutrients at organismal levels influence disease dynamics as well as nutrient cycling. This symposium will integrate these exciting findings across fields and levels of biological organization in order to highlight the potential for future collaborative research in animal nutritional ecology.